Use a screen reader to add alt (alternative) text to images in OneNote

This article is for people with visual impairments who use a screen reader program with the Office products and is part of the Office Accessibility content set. For more general help, see Office Support home.

This topic assumes you are using this app with a PC. Some navigation and gestures might be different for a Windows phone or tablet.

Adding alternative text to photos and images that you’ve inserted in OneNote is a useful way to provide descriptions of visual content in your notes. These descriptions can provide important context to people with visual or cognitive impairments.

In a OneNote page, select the picture that you want to add alt text to. To select a picture, use the Up or Down arrow key until the image you want is announced. In OneNote, images are announced as: "<filename>, image." In JAWS you hear: "<filename>, graphic."

To open the context menu, press Shift+F10. Then press the Down arrow key until you hear "Alt Text," and then press Spacebar. The Alternative Text dialog opens with the focus on the Title text field.

Type the title of the alt text for the image. Alt text should describe the action or intent of the image, not its appearance.

To move to the Description text field, press the Tab key. You hear: "Description." Type a description for the image.

After typing the title and description, press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and then press Spacebar. The Alternative Text dialog closes and the focus moves back to the page.

Use OneNote for iOS with VoiceOver, the built-in iOS screen reader, to add alt text to images and make your notes more accessible.

Notes:

New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

This topic assumes that you are using the built-in iOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, visit Apple accessibility.

This topic assumes that you are using an iPhone. Some navigation and gestures might be different for an iPad.

Adding alternative text to photos and images that you’ve inserted in OneNote is a useful way to provide descriptions of visual content in your notes. These descriptions can provide important context to people with visual or cognitive impairments.

In a OneNote page, select the picture that you want to add alt text to. To select a picture, swipe right or left until the image you want is announced. VoiceOver announces the images as: "<filename>, image."

To open the context menu, double-tap the screen with two fingers. The context menu opens, and you hear: "Show more items, menu item."

To open the Alt Text menu, double-tap the screen, swipe left until you hear "Alt Text," and then double-tap the screen. The Alt Text menu opens.

To add alt text, swipe right until you hear "Tile, <filename>, text field," double-tap the screen, and type the title of the alt text for the image using your on-screen keyboard. Alt text should describe the action or intent of the image, not its appearance.

Note: To go to the keyboard, swipe right until you hear a keyboard element. You can also find the keyboard by exploring the items on the screen. To explore, place a finger on the screen and drag it around. VoiceOver announces the items as you land on them. To select an item, lift your finger and double-tap the screen.

To add a description to the image, swipe right until you hear "Description, text field," double-tap the screen, and then the type description using your on-screen keyboard.

After typing the title and description, swipe left until you hear "Done button," and then double-tap the screen. The Alt Text menu closes and the focus moves back to the page.

Use OneNote for Android with TalkBack, the built-in Android screen reader, to add alt text to images and make your notes more accessible.

Notes:

New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Android screen reader, TalkBack. To learn more about using TalkBack, go to Android accessibility.

This topic assumes you are using this app with an Android phone. Some navigation and gestures might be different for an Android tablet.

Make sure you turn on TalkBack before launching OneNote for Android.

Adding alternative text to photos and images that you’ve inserted in OneNote is a useful way to provide descriptions of visual content in your notes. These descriptions can provide important context to people with visual or cognitive impairments.

In a OneNote page, select the picture that you want to add alt text to. To select a picture, swipe right or left until the image you want is announced. TalkBack announces the images as: "Selected, <filename>, image."

To open the context menu, double-tap and hold the screen. The context menu opens, and you hear: "Open."

To open the Alt Text dialog, swipe right until you hear "More options button," double-tap the screen, swipe right until you hear "Alt Text button," and then double-tap the screen. The Alt Text dialog opens with the focus on the Title text field, and you hear: "Alt Text, editing, <filename>."

Type the title of the alt text for the image using your on-screen keyboard. Alt text should describe the action or intent of the image, not its appearance.

Note: You can find the keyboard by exploring the items on the screen. To explore, place a finger on the screen and drag it around. TalkBack announces the items as you land on them. To select an item, when on the item, lift your finger. Depending on your device settings, you may need to double-tap the screen to insert the character.

To add a description to the image, swipe right until you hear "Description, edit box," double-tap the screen, and then type the description using your on-screen keyboard.

After typing the title and description, swipe right until you hear "Done button," and then double-tap the screen. The Alt Text dialog closes and the focus moves back to the page.

Use OneNote for Windows 10 with Narrator, the built-in Windows screen reader, to add alt text to images and make your notes more accessible.

Notes:

New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Windows screen reader, Narrator. To learn more about using Narrator, go to Complete guide to Narrator.

This topic assumes you are using this app with a Windows phone. Some navigation and gestures might be different for a tablet or PC.

Adding alternative text to photos and images that you’ve inserted in OneNote is a useful way to provide descriptions of visual content in your notes. These descriptions can provide important context to people with visual or cognitive impairments.

In a OneNote page, select the picture that you want to add alt text to. To select a picture, swipe right or left until the image you want is announced. Narrator announces the images as: "<filename>, image."

To open the context menu, double-tap the screen with two fingers. The context menu opens, and you hear: "Context menu, menu, popup."

To open the Alt Text dialog, swipe right until you hear "Picture button," double-tap the screen, swipe right or left until you hear "Alt Text button," and then double-tap the screen. The Alt Text dialog opens.

To add alt text, swipe left until you hear "Tile, editable text, <filename>," double-tap the screen, and type the title of the alt text for the image using your on-screen keyboard. Alt text should describe the action or intent of the image, not its appearance.

Note: You can find the keyboard by exploring the items on the screen. To explore, place a finger on the screen and drag it around. Narrator announces the items as you land on them. To select an item, when on the item, lift your finger, and then double-tap the screen to insert the character.

To add a description to the image, drag your finger around the top half of the screen until you hear an item, and swipe right or left until you hear "Description, editable text," double-tap the screen, and then type the description using your on-screen keyboard.

After typing the description, drag your finger on the top half of the screen until you hear an item, swipe right or left until you hear "Done button," and then double-tap the screen. The Alt Text dialog closes and the focus moves back to the page.

This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Windows screen reader, Narrator. To learn more about using Narrator, go to Complete guide to Narrator.

This topic assumes you are using this app with a PC. Some navigation and gestures might be different for a Windows phone or tablet.

When you use OneNote Online, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because OneNote Online runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are different from those in the desktop program. For example, you’ll use Ctrl+F6 instead of F6 for jumping in and out of the commands. Also, common shortcuts like F1 (Help) and Ctrl+O (Open) apply to the web browser – not OneNote Online.

Adding alternative text to photos and images that you’ve inserted in OneNote is a useful way to provide descriptions of visual content in your notes. These descriptions can provide important context to people with visual or cognitive impairments.

In a OneNote page, select the image that you want to add alt text to. To select an image, use the Up or Down arrow key until the image is announced. Narrator announces the images as: "<filename>, Image."

To open the context menu, press Shift+F10. You hear: "Cut, Menu item." Then press the Down arrow key until you hear "Edit alt text, Menu item," and then press Spacebar. The Alternative Text dialog opens.

Type the alt text for the image. Alt text should describe the action or intent of the image, not its appearance.

When done, press Enter. The Alternative Text dialog closes and the focus moves back to the page.

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.